Twenty20 tournament set to 'rise' again - Jamaica Observer

[Anguillan newsboy]

Twenty20 tournament set to 'rise' again
CMC
Saturday, January 26, 2008

COOLIDGE, Antigua (CMC) - Electrifying, exciting, and entertaining are just three of the words which have been used to describe the inaugural Stanford Twenty20 Cup.
The organisers, the players, and the fans are hoping that the second edition, which begins today at the Stanford Cricket Ground, will produce either the same or a higher level of intrigue to what its predecessor did.
Again, the unpredictable nature of the Twenty20 format, along with the current poor form of title-holders Guyana in the Carib Beer Series leaves the competition wide open - making the task of choosing "who will rise" to collect the US $1 million grand prize difficult.
St Lucia, quarter-finalists from 2006, and Cayman Islands have the privilege of playing in the opening match of the competition which concludes on February 24 with the Grand Final and will be beamed "live" to millions of viewers in the Caribbean, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the United States.
As indicated by Sir Garfield Sobers and Michael Holding, two members of the Stanford Twenty20 board of directors which comprises Sir Allen Stanford and 14 legends of West Indies cricket, what is vital from the St Lucians, the Caymanians, and the rest of the teams is that the cricket must improve.
Plenty is expected from St Lucia and the other three teams which have been involved in a pilot project that would see all participants in the competition over the next five years become fully professional.
The other three teams - Anguilla, Nevis, and hosts Antigua & Barbuda - all have some kind of pedigree.
All matches commence at 7:15 am.